By 2025 there will be over 6,000,000 fewer atheist world-wide, that’s a loss of about 1,700 atheist a day over the next ten years according to a report on the status of Global Missions in 2014 by Gordon Conwell Theological Seminar.
I began researching this trend recently after watching this video from Zach Anner about Sunday Assembly, which is basically a secular/atheistic attempt at doing church!
More Atheist Want to Practice Religion
Zach’s video on Sunday assembly reveals a surprising aspect in atheism and secularism. It’s obvious that our atheistic friends want something more. They long for the relational element that most religions offer. Ironically they are trying to become more like their friends who believe in God but do it in a way that doesn’t require God.
These kinds of attempts to bring morality and religiousness into atheism are not new. All you have to do is study the history of the former Soviet Union and you will see how they tried to replace God with Lenin. You’ll also find that they tried to replace the Bible with the Communist Manifesto and other writings of Marx and Engels.
What we do know is that these attempts to make atheism religious never last, just like atheistic communism didn’t last!
Low birthrate
Atheism and it’s secular worldviews lack any real motivation for procreation and thus tend to have very low birth rates. Some ideas which atheists promote lend to this lowered birthrate such as:
Sterilization
Atheist are known for promoting programs that encourage voluntary and sometimes even compulsory sterilization.
Emphasis on education and career
They also emphasize science, education and careers as a very high value for the individual. These values tend to put off childbearing until much later in life.
Abortion
Ironically abortion is an issue that many atheist have spent much of their life trying to promote but in the end it’s the millions of abortions that will kill off the atheist population!
Historic Atheistic Countries Changing
Our world is changing and many countries that used to be bulwarks of atheism have completely changed their allegiances. The most notable of these is the former Soviet countries.
It’s astonishing to realize that a country, where just 30 years ago you could be shipped off to the gulag for practicing your religion, now has a president who unashamedly talks about his faith and often is seen interacting with church leaders. Yes, I’m talking about Vladimir Putin, who not only claims to be a Christian but has taken a strong stand against issues like homosexuality.
Another country to consider is China which is considered to be an atheistic country, yet Christianity is booming there! Some even say that within 15 years China will be the worlds largest Christian nation!
Growth of Major Religions
We know that atheist aren’t reproducing physically but atheistic evangelists aren’t doing much for their cause either. According to the study by Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary all major religions are experiencing major growth.
The strongest per year growth is in Christianity 1.29%, Hinduism 1.38% and Islam 1.81%. This is opposed to a .03% annual growth of atheism and it appears that number is falling.
Survival of the Fittest
Ironically this is a question of survival of the fittest. As it turns out atheism isn’t the fittest for human survival and flourishing. Maybe that’s because God made man as a worshiper and gave him certain laws to live by. Turns out that societies who try to stick to at least a few basic Biblical principles do better and last longer!
Evangelism Is Changing
The death of atheism doesn’t mean that the church’s task in evangelism just got easier. What it means is it’s changing!
The Christian’s job is to communicate the gospel and in order to do that effectively we need to be aware of the major cultural beliefs around us. Much depends on where you live and what crowds you mingle with but I’m guessing you are coming up against atheism less and less.
I’m not suggesting that we abandon our arguments for God’s existence of for an intelligently designed universe.
What I am suggesting is that we pay more careful attention to the teachings of people like Muhammad, Buddha, Dalai Lama, Ekhart Tolle, Deepack Chopra, and Oprah Winfrey. They are the religious teachers of our world today. Understand them if you want to reach the world around you!
Kari Scare
November 18, 2014Interesting information here, Caleb. I’m curious about your last statements just prior to your discussion question. When you suggest that “we pay more careful attention to the teachings of people like…” and then to “understand them if you want to reach the world around you,” I immediately think about Scripture telling us to “flee from evil” and that exhorts us to know the truth, so we can know the false when it comes at us. I struggle with deliberately learning too much about false teaching because I think it can be a precarious place for anyone to dabble. I think I understand what you’re saying though. You are suggesting an awareness, which I think is good, not an all-out study of these other belief systems, correct? And, I know you suggest to know your Bible as a way to be able to identify the untruth in these other beliefs. Yet, how does one find that balance between paying careful attention and becoming an expert. Am I making sense?
Caleb
November 20, 2014Kari, great point! I think you’re right, we need balance when it comes to studying false teachers. There’s a couple of things that comes to mind. One is that Paul spent some time studying the teaching and culture of the places he visited on his missionaries journey’s. His sermon in Acts 17 on Mars Hill in Athens makes it clear that Paul was investigating their beliefs. He even quotes one of their poets in verse 28.
Another thought is that for me books like the late Dr Walter Martin’s “Kingdom of the Cults” have been extremely helpful for me not simply in identifying false teaching but in defending the truth and in knowing how to approach people who have these believes.
Certainly we need to always emphasize the truth of the Bible, because ultimately that’s where our teaching should come from. God’s Word should have the first and final say in our lives and in our study. However, I do believe it’s important to be aware of some of the main teachings of society around us.
Another reason why it’s important to study false teachers is because it helps us identify the source of false teaching that can sometimes creep into the church. I have personally seen that happen several times and often people don’t even know where it comes from.
I don’t have any really good way to evauate how much study is enough and how much is too much but I think it probably depends on the maturity of the person studying and ultimately we must individually be aware of how much we are getting into these things, making sure that God’s Word is always primary.
Kari Scare
November 20, 2014What I know for sure is that balance does not mean equal. In other words, we should have an awareness of unbiblical teachings but the truth of God’s Word must reign supreme in our hearts and minds. I also know for sure that we desperately need the Holy Spirit to help us discern truth out of the myriad of information and teachings out there. I agree that maturity has something to do with it too. A new Christian should not spend time studying other religions and beliefs, and should instead invest heavily in the study of God’s word. While a person who has studied God’s word for years can probably have more of an awareness of other teachings.
Caleb
November 20, 2014Balance probably isn’t the best word to use in this context! I guess I was using it in the sense of “proper porportion.”
I agree, we need the Holy Spirit and we need a great amount of wisdom!
Loren Pinilis
November 18, 2014Great point that religion is changing. It used to be about someone not being able to decide on eternal truth (agnosticism) which branched into naturalism which is now morphing into humanism. At least that’s the way I see it.
TCAvey
November 19, 2014Loren, I encourage you to read my friends very in depth book about the history of humanism and how it’s been battling Christianity for supremacy since Adam and Eve. I don’t know of a better book to help people understand the depths of the humanistic movement and how it’s even infiltrated the church. Very well documented/supported.
“ye shall be as gods” by Larry Johnson.
Caleb
November 20, 2014Sounds like an interesting book TC, in fact I’m sure I’ve heard of it before. I’ll have to check it out.
TCAvey
November 21, 2014You might have heard it from me 🙂 I’ve done a book review on it and wrote about it a few times. Larry also does many radio interviews, so you might have heard him that way.
Caleb
November 20, 2014Personally I think that humanism is going to be fading in the years to come. It’s already had it’s peak and certainly it’s done a lot of damage.
TCAvey
November 19, 2014We could spend hours talking about this topic. I have many opinions/theories about it (and I talk with my best friend who’s atheist about it a great deal) but I guess only time will tell.
No matter what, Christians have the Great Commission to follow.
I work with Bibles for China and can say that people in China are on fire for God’s word. They’re hungry for it and will walk MILES just to get a Bible, they cherish God’s Word and cry upon receiving such a precious gift…so unlike many Americans.
Caleb
November 20, 2014Yes, China is a very interesting place. I just met a Chinese pastor this week and he shared some amazing testimonies about what God is doing there. One thing is for sure, Atheism won’t last but our God will!